Gestures and a New Brush

In continuing Inga Dubay's curriculum on Calligraphy and Drawing, this week we explored gestures. Since I didn't own a #20 brush, I used my Michael's 40% off coupon and bought a really nice Round Princeton Newton.  Oh, I'm in love with my new brush- the way it holds the watercolor paint, responds and makes gestures.

I chose one gesture and repeated it thirty times.

It's not easy to repeat the same gesture thirty times. Some didn't look at all like my first gesture.  I selected the three that I liked the best.  My favorites held energy and spontaneity, a free form look.  I can see how it takes lots of practice to get the feel of making gestures.  I'm much more comfortable with the contour drawings.

Next, we paint gestures to music in neutrals and then in color.

Calligraphy and Drawing- an exploration

While attending the 2012 NW Calligraphy Conference, I heard Inga Dubay present her experience teaching a course in calligraphy and drawing at the Oregon College of Art and Craft. Ever since then, I've wanted to work through her syllabus.  I found a few friends who wanted to do this, too.  The first section features contour drawings. 

My 2014 guiding word for my artwork is synthesis.  I want to integrate what I know, practice and create.  These letters came from my blind contour drawings of the Imperial Latin alphabet.  I copied the word on tracing paper and transferred it to watercolor paper.

I'd like to repaint the piece with darker values so that the letters show more.  That's my comfort zone.  The abstract aspect of the pastel colors adds mystery.  One of my goals is to move from literal interpretation to abstraction.

Above the bold colors stand out.

Above is my attempt to play with my initials.  It needs more contrast in color.  The bright yellow and red dominate the piece.

For this 'W', the blind contour drawing is of the negative space that surrounds the Fraktur capital letter. Do you see the 'W'?  This exploration furthers my interest to combine calligraphy in my artwork.